How to Write the Analysis of a Poem, Short Story, or Play
Structure of an Analysis Essay 1. Introduction: Presenting the Main Idea
Begin your analysis with a paragraph that sets the context for the work you're analyzing. Include the author's
name, title, genre, and publication details. If relevant, briefly touch on the biographical or historical context.
Keep this section concise.
Next, express the work's theme in one or two sentences. Theme is the insight into human experience that the author
conveys throughout the poem, story, or play. Authors typically show the theme through the development of
characters, conflicts, and plot rather than explicitly stating it.
Assessing theme can be challenging, so it's often helpful to proceed with the analysis of other literary elements
before revisiting and refining your understanding of the theme.
Example: "In Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Tell-Tale Heart,' the theme of guilt and its psychological imp…